Profile III (Profil III) 1911

Curator: What a striking and deceptively simple piece. This is Emil Nolde's "Profile III", created in 1911 using ink and possibly pencil. It is categorized as a print and also a drawing. The bold, gestural marks immediately draw the eye. Editor: It feels very immediate, almost raw. The dark ink against the light paper creates a strong contrast and sense of drama, wouldn't you agree? It gives the impression of someone caught in thought or perhaps facing a harsh light. Curator: Exactly. Expressionism sought to capture inner emotion rather than external reality. Nolde was a key figure in that movement, though his later association with the Nazi regime certainly complicates how we view his work now and its place within the broader context of art history. Editor: I see what you mean. It is troubling that Nolde ended up aligning himself with such a regime, given that many of his works use primal, stark imagery. His embrace of bold colors, simplified forms, and emotional intensity tapped into something fundamental, almost universal. Here the minimal line work reminds me of ancient relief sculptures or perhaps even tribal masks, something elemental. Curator: The exaggerated lines and stark contrast amplify this effect. His style pushed against the academic traditions of the time. But it’s worth mentioning that while the Expressionists were initially favored by some Nazi leaders, they were eventually condemned as "degenerate," showing the complicated nature of power dynamics within art and politics. Editor: Interesting how cultural anxieties could lead to embracing something primal, while the elite of the regime later shunning it, when it served their ambitions no more. Considering the hat she wears, it would be hard not to assume her religious affiliations impacted the piece's reception. I’d say Nolde captures something more significant than just a physical likeness. He’s conjuring a whole realm of emotions and social tensions, something both personal and universally recognizable in human experience. Curator: And as this piece moves through time, new layers are created between work, audience and artist, like ripples across the same body. Editor: Precisely. And this image—this one simple ink drawing of a face—resonates.